Observing-tube for submarine boats.



No. 725,570. K PATBNTED APR.14, 190s.

s. LAKE. A OBSERVING TUBE PoR SUBMARINB BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 13, 1902.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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ujglmeowo No. 725,570. PATENTED APR. 14, 1903.

s. LAKE.

OBSBRVING TUBE FOR SUBMARINB BOATS.

l APPLIATION FILED DEO. 13, 1902. l

N0 MODBL- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N.\/ l w Yns mams Psrsns co, PHomLlruo.. wAsmuofoM, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMONLAKE, BRVIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

OBSERVING-TUBE FOR SUBIVIARINE BATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '725,570,.dated April14, 1903.

implication filed December 13, 1902. Serial No. 135Q55. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.: g

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residingat Bridgeport, in

the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Observing-Tubes for Submarine Boats,ofwhich the following is a speciication, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings. l

This invention has for its object to provide a submarine torpedo-boatwith means Whereby the occu pants may take observations throughout thehorizon above the surface of water while the boat remains whollysubmerged beneath the surface, and of insuring precision of aim of itstorpedoes at a hostile and by a special arrangement of mirrors orreflectors covering partially or wholly the entire horizon, partlyindevices for measuring the distance of such obj ect from said boat,

partly in a special telescopic arrangement of` lenses in said device foraffording a closer in spection of the object toward which the samel isdirected, partly in means for indicating to i the steersman and `gunnerthe direction of the hostile vessel in respect of said boat, and partlyin particular constructive features and arrangements of the operativeparts of such devices.

The invention will be understood by refer-I ence to the drawingsannexed, in which- Figure l is an elevational'view of a sub-jlmerged-submarine boat, showing the presentk improvement in operation.Fig. 2 is a longitu-. dinal vertical sectionof the conning-tower ori yturret and apparatus contained therein, upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 3is a longitudinal sectional elevation, lupon a still larger scale,v

Fig. 5

tusin external elevation, as seen from the left of Fig. 3; and Fig 6is-a similar view, partly in section, at the lower 'end to expose theinternal constructionof the supporting-stand for the observing-tube,showing also the base of said tube resting thereon. Fig. 7 is anelevation, partly in section,V of the observingtube, Yshowingmagnifying-lenses interposed between the reflecting-surfacesintermediate the upper and lower ends of said tube.

The boat l is shown provided with a conning-tower or turret 2,containing the steering-wheel 3, upon the supporting-column4 of which isau inclined mirror 5, by means of which the steersman is enabled to seeand read the'compass 6, whichis pivotally mounted, as usual, by means ofgimbals in the com# pass-case 7, depending from the roof ofv theconning-tower. Y

The observing-tube 8 isinserted in a hole in the top of theconning-tower and is closely embraced by but adapted to be revolvedwithin a stuffing-box of which the stationary mem-` ber comprises thetwo clam ping-rings 9 and 10, Vthe latter of which has an annular cavitycontaining the usual packing, which is confined by the gland or follower11.

The upper or outer endof the observingtube is provided with a headpieceor hood 12, l

in which is shown a series of four lateral openings 13, arranged at thesame level, and an additional 'lateral opening 14, facing in the samedirection as one of those of the series but disposed above the same,each of such lateral openings being closed by a glass plate 15 toexclude water when the hood is submerged. At each of the lateralopenings 13' of the series is arranged a glass prism 16, having itsreflecting-face inclined at such an angle with the axis of theobserving-tubethat an image of an external object received through itsrespective opening will be reflected downwardlyzthrough the tube intotheinterior of the conning-tower for the inspection of the observer orlookout, as will hereinafter appear. At the lateral aperture ,15 in thehood 12 is a similarly-disposed reflecting--` prism 17, which is notstationary, like the prisms 16,butis mounted adjustably byrneans of themetallic fra`mes'l8, embracing its ends, and supported in the hood bymeans of pivots 19 and an adjusting-rod 20, having its upper endconnected with one of said frames 18 eccentric to its pivot and itslower end connected with the pin 21 of a crank-arm 22 upon the end of arotary spindle 23, passing through the wall of the tube 8 and providedupon its outer end with a hand-wheel 24. By turning the hand-wheel 24the prism 17 may be tilted upon its bearing-centers 19 to compensate forany possible defect in the trim of' the vessel, the friction lof thespindle 23 in the wall of the tube insuring the maintenance ol the prismin any of its adjustments, although positive holding means may beemployed when desired.

Intermediate each glass 15 and prism 16 of the series is showninterposed a plano-concave lens 25, which gives to the prism behind it arange of vision of the required extent so that the series will togethercover the entire horizon and reiiect downwardly through theobserving-tube an image of any object within seeing distance in anydirection from the boat. While it is considered preferable to constructeach prism with a fiat reflectingface and to employ in conjunctiontherewith a condensing-lens of the required power in order that theprisms of the series may together form a compound member of the requiredcharacter,such parts may,if` desired,be formed of a single piece ofglass in prismatic form.

The single prism 17 is shown formed with flat faces, and thereforeadapted to reflect an image downwardly through the tube upon the samescale as the object would be viewed by thei naked eye of the observer,and it is de- Isigned. to have a much smaller visual angle,

even if similarly provided with a condensinglens, than the combinationrefiecting member 16 25 of the series, which latter obviously reducesthe scale of the image which it reflects downwardly through the tube 8,and hence the former maybe termed a narrowangle reflector orreflecting-prism and the latter a wide-angle7 refiector orreflectingprism.

lu order that the field of vision of the narrow-angle prism may bereadily brought into register with the center of that ofthe primarywide-angle prism 16 beneath it, which is similarly directed, thewide-angle prism or both of said prisms are or may be provided directlyin advance of their centra] points with vertical filaments 26, asindicated in Fig. 3, by which means the revolution of the tube 8 tobring the lower filament directly in line with the centerof the externalobject sighted will enable the lookout to center the field of thesmaller-angle prism thereon for a closer inspection than maybe securedby the widerangle reflector. p

The observing-tube 8 is shown provided in its lower or inner end portionwith two lateral apertures 27 upon the side opposite the upper lateralopening 14, to each of which apertures may be applied a telescopic eye-`piece 28 for magnifying the images refiected downwardly through the tubefrom the upper lateral openings to the prism 29, located opposite theright eyepiece and the graduated speculum or mirror 30 behind it, theeffectivc surfaces of bot-h of such reflectors being inclined upwardlyand backwardly in respect of said eyepieces through which theirrespective images are visible.

In the form of the improvement illustrated in Figs. l to 6, inclusive,the primary wideangle prism 1G is so arranged in relation to thegraduated speculum or mirror 30 that the image reflected by it will bedirected thereupon, as illustrated in Fig. 4, while the relativedispositions of the narrow-angle prism 17 and the other prisms 1G of theseries with reference to the lower prism 29 is such that all the imagestherefrom are received by the latter in their relativel positions andreflected through the lateral aperture 27 into its respective eyepiece28. Thus with the present improvement the lookout or observer, who wouldpreferably be the captain of the vessel, having full power to direct theentire operation of the craft, may scan with one eye simultaneouslyevery portion of the entire horizon and also more closely inspect thevessel toward-which the instrument may be directed, while with the othereye he may measure its distance away, being thus able to identify thevessel, and therefore to determine its known actual length, which bycomparison with the length of the image measured upon the speculum 30renders it a simple matter to calculate its distance from the boat or todetermine the same by reference to a suitable table which may beprepared for use under such conditions. Although the parallel lines ofthe scale upon the speculum are represented in Fig. l as disposedequidistant and lying in vertical planes parallel with the axial linesot' the eyepieces 23 merely for the purposes of illustration, it isevident that the graduations would be in practice properly calibrated byactual trial, so as to insure accuracy in the measurement of distances.

The rigid cylindrical casings of the eyepieces 2S may serve as handlesfor use in turning the tube S to enable it to maintain its primaryreflector or reflecting-face trained upon the external object heiligobserved; but it is evident that special handles may be provided at thelower end of the tube for the purpose.

The observing-tube is adapted to be raised and lowered to place it,respectively, in operative and inoperative position by means of ajack-screw 3l, to the upper end of which is keyed the hub of ahand-wheel 32, attached to the lower end of the tube 8 by a swivel-jointformed by a flange 33 ou said hub and a flanged ring 34 of the saidtube, the said screw having tted thereto a nut 35, mounted in the upperend of a tubular stand 36, attached to and resting upon the floor oi theconning-tower, which receives the thrust of the screw when manipulatingthe hand- Wheel to operate the observing-tube.

Surrounding the stand 36 is a tubular guard IOO IIO

in the hub of the hand-wheel 32.

or sheath 37, closely embracing said stand, either directly or 'by meansof distance pieces or rings 38 and 39, the former being attached to orformed upon the interior ofthe lower end of the guard 37 and the latterto the exterior of the upperend of the stand 36, said guard beingrigidly secured within asocket By turning the hand-wheel for operatingthe screw vthe latter, with lthe attached observing-tube, is raised orlowered, the guard 37 protecting the occupants of the conning-tower fromcontact with the screw and also serving materially to steady theobserving-tube by reason ot' its greater surface of contact with thestand 36 than the screw 3l.

In order that the lookout may indicate with certainty to the steersmanthe exact direction of a hostile vessel or other external object fromthe submarine boat, the device now to be described is employed. V

Secured to the follower 11 is shown a fas tening-ring 40, having anannular rabbet in which isY fitted a -iiange upon thehub of asprocket-wheel 41, which latter is fitted also to the exterior of thetube 8, which is movable vertically through the same. The hub of thissprocket-wheel is provided with a depending lug 42, carrying a set-screw43, by which the sprocket-wheelmay be tixed'to rotate with the tube 8 inany of the latter-s po-` chain 46, with a sprocket-wheel 47, of equalsize, fitted to and revoluble in respect of' the compass-case 7, bywhich-it is sustained.

- The sprocket-wheel 47 carries two depending pins 4S, between which isstretched a filament 49, extending across the center of the field ofthecompass and intermediate the compass 6 and the steersmans mirror 5. Thedriving-sprocket 4l is coupled to -the tube 8 for operation by firstturning the tube, so that its fore-and-aft line 50 corresponds inYrelation to the vessels center-line with that of the compass when theset-screw 43 is' tightened or the clutch-pins 44 and .45 brought intoengagement, as the case may be, and the turning` of the observing-tubethereafter to direct its principal narrow-angle prism having thevertical filament 26 upon the exterior object, with both filamentscrossing the centube is pointed, the chain 46 is provided with4 acontact-stud 51, whichwhen the tube` is connected through thesprocket-wheels 41 and f 47 and the observing-tubev and compass-case. Itis evident that as the observer continues to follow the hostile vesselor other target with the observing-tubea-nd the steersman turns thecourse of the vessel to the direction indicated by the filament 49` theelectrical alarmcircuit will be closed by the contact of the stud 5lwith the contact-spring 52, the switch 54 having previously been closed.The ringing of the alarm-bell thus indicates positively that the courseof the Vessel is directly toward the object to be attacked and iapprises the gunner with certainty of such times at which he mayproperly operate the torpedoejecting apparatus;

In order'to provide a gage for settingl the observing-tube in initialaxial position, a stationary pointer or indicating-finger 57 is attachedto the ring 10, the rotation of the tube to bring its fore-and-aft line50 into register i withwhich pointer insures the finding of the correctposition for the connection thereto yof the sprocket-wheel 4l.

By reference to Fig. 7 1t will be observed that in order to magnify allthe images reiiected downwardly from the upperiprisms upon the lowerprism 29 a magnifying-lens 58 may be interposed between the same, inwhich case an image reflected from the primary wide-angled lens may alsobe separately magnified and directed upon the speculum 30 by means ofthe lens 59, or, as indicated lOO IIO

in dotted lines in said figure, a lens 60 may but throw out of operativerelation the reflector or reflectors in its upper or outer end.

Althoughl I prefer to construct the tubeV withv lateral aperturesthrough which the refleeting-prisms may receive laterally and refiect.downwardly or inwardly through the tube images of external objects,'itis evident .thatby providing the outer endv of the ob'-4 serving-tubewith a transparent cap having the` general character of theinspection-dome forming the subject of the United States Patent No.717,101, granted to me December 30, 1902, such individual apertures forthe several reflectors or reflecting-surfaces would not be required.

It will be readily seen that inasmuch as the most important part of thehorizon which should be visible to the occupants of the boat whensubmerged is that part in advance of the boat the prisms or reflectorsat the upper or outer end of the observing-tube may each be directed sothat collectively they cover only such half of the entire horizon, theapparatus in such case being revoluble or held in fixed axial relationto the boat, as the requirement-s may determine; but a seriesofreflectors, having visual angles collectively covering the entirehorizon mounted ina revoluble vertically-movable observing tube, asshown and described herein, is considered preferable.

It is to be understood from the foregoing description that the presentinvention is not limited to any of the details of construction andarrangement of parts above described, nor to the employment of lenses incombination with the inclined reflectors, (each of which may obviouslybe of any desired or suitable character,) nor to the number andarrangement of such reflectors in either the upper or lower portion ofthe observing-tube, such matters being in a large degree governed by therequirements of individual cases, the essential feature of the presentinvention being the provision of the observing tube with a reflector orreflectors in its upper or outer end, so arranged or operated as toadapt it to give an extended view of the horizon.

Having thus set forth the invention, what I claim herein, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a submarineboat, of an observing-tube passingthrough the wall of the same and surrounded by a stuffing-box by whichit is held rigidly in upright position but is permitted to slideoutwardly and inwardly and to be revolved in respect of said i boat,amirror or refiectorin the upper or outer end of said tube adapted toreceive laterally an image of an external object and to reflect itdownwardly through said tube, and means for raising and lowering saidtube through its surrounding stuffing-box.

2. In a submarine boat, the combination with an observing-tube passingthrough the wall of the same surrounded by a stuffing-boX and having inits outer end an inclined mirror or reflector for receiving laterallyand ref fleeting inwardly through said tube an image of an externalobject, of means connected with the inner portion of said tube formoving it outward and inward through said stuffing-box comprising ajack-screw and a stand having a nut fitted thereto, and means forturning one of said parts.

3. In a submarine boat, the combination with an observing-tube passingthrough the wall of the same surrounded by a stuffing-box and havinginits outer end an inclined mir-` 7o ror or reflector for receivinglaterally and rcflecting inwardly through said tube au image of anexternal object, of a jack-screw having one end swiveled to the innerend of said tube and provided with means for turning it, and

a stand provided at the end adjacent said tube with a nut fitted to saidjack-screw for receiving the thrust of the latter.

et. In a submarine boat, the combination with an observing-tube passingthrough the 8o wall of the same surrounded by a stuffing-box and havingin its outer end an inclined mirror or reflector for receiving laterallyand refleeting inwardly through said tube an image of an externalobject, of a jack-screw having one end swiveled to the inner end of saidtube and p rovided with means for turning it, a stand provided at theend adjacent said tube with a nut fitted to said jack-screw forreceiving the thrust of the latter, and a guard 9o or sheath rigidlyconnected with saidtube and closely embracing said stand.

5. The combination with a submarine boat, of an observing-tubeprojecting from the same and provided at its upper or outer end withmeans for simultaneously receiving laterally and reflecting downwardlyor inwardly throughsaid tube images of all objects throughout thehorizon.

6. The combination with a submarine boat, `1 oo of an observing-tubeprojecting from the same and provided at its upper or outer end with aplurality of mirrors or reflectors for simultaneously receivinglaterally and reflecting downwardly or inwardly through said tube andprovided at its upper or outer end with a 11o plurality ot' reflectorsor mirrors for receiving laterally and reflecting downwardly or in*wardly through said tube images of all objects throughout the horizon.

8. The combination with a submarine boat, I i5 of an observing-tubeprojecting from the same and provided at its upper or outer end with anannular series of prisms directed each toward a different portion of thehorizon and adapted to receive laterally an image of an external ob- Izo ject and to reflect it downwardly or inwardly through said tube.

9. The combination with a submarine boat, of au observing-tu beprojecting from the same` and provided at its upper or outer end with aseries of prisms directed each toward a different portion of the horizonand adapted to receive laterally an image of an external 0bject and toreflect it downwardly or inwardly through said tube, said observing-tubebeing 13o revoluble in respect of said beat.

vl0. The combination with a submarine boat, 0f an Observing-tubeprojecting from the same and provided at its upper or outer end with aseries of prisms directed each toward a different portion of the horizonandadapted to receive laterally an image of an external object and toreflect it downwardly or inwardly through said tube, and a series ofcondensing-lenses of which each lens is disposed in the field of visionof one of said prisms.

11. The combination with a submarine boat, of an observing-tubeprojecting from the same and provided at its upper or outer end with twoinclined mirrors or reflectors each having a diierent visual angle fromthe other but directed in the same vertical plane and adapted to receiveand to reliect inwardly nthrough said tube an image of' an externalobject.

12. The combination with a submarine boat, of an observing-tube providedat its upper or outer end with two inclined mirrors or reliectors eachhaving a different visual angle from the other but directed in the samevertical plane and adapted to receive and to reflect inwardly throughsaid tube an image of an external object, said observing-tube beingrevoluble in respect of said boat.

13. The combination with a submarine boat, of au observing-tube providedat its upper or outer end with two inclined mirrors or reflectors eachhaving a different visual angle from the other but being directed in thesame vertical plane and adapted to receive and to reliect4 inwardlythrough said tube an image of an external object, and a .verticalfilament arranged in the field of Vision of said mirror or reflectorhaving the greater visual angle, said observing-tube being revoluble inrespect of said boat.

14..A The combination with a submarine boat, of an observing-tubeprovided at its upper or outer end with a series of prisms of uniformvisual angles each directed toward a different portion ofthe horizon,and a prism having a smaller visual angle directed toward the sameportion of the horizon as one ol" the prisms of said series, each ofsaid prisms be-l ing adapted to receive an image of an external objectand to reiiect it downwardly orinwardly through said tube.

15. The combination with a submarine boat, of an observing-tuberevoluble in respect of said boat and provided at its upper or outer endwith a series of prisms of uniform visual angles leach directed toward adifferent portion of the horizon, and a prism having a smaller visualangle directed toward the same portion of the horizon as one of theprisms of said series, each ot said prisms being adapted to receive animage of an external object and to reflect it downwardly or' inwardlythrough said tube, and a .vertical filament disposed in the iield ofvision of that prism of the series directed toward the same portion ofthe horizon as said prism having the smaller visual angle. Y

16. The combination with a submarine boat, of an observing-tube providedat its upper or outer end with a series of prisms of uniform visualangles each directed toward a different portion of the horizon, and aprism having a `smaller visual angle directed toward the same portion ofthe horizon as one of the prisms of said series, each of said prismsbeing adapted to receive an image of an eX- ternal object and to reflectit downwardly or inwardly through said tube, and one or more inclinedmirrors or rellectors at the inner end portion of said tube forreceiving and reflecting said 'images laterally from said tube.

17. flhe combination with a submarine boat, of' an observing-tubeprovided at its upper or outer end with a series of prisms of uniformvisu al angles each directed toward a different portion of the horizon,and a prismhav- 1 their images upon one of said lower reflecting membersand the remaining wide-angle prism adjacent the narrow-angle prism toreflect its image upon the other of said lower members.

lower end portionlof said tube adapted to receive an image of' anexternal object reflected from the prism of the series directedsimilarly to the narrow-angle prism and a prism adjacent to thegraduated mirror or reiiector for receiving and reflecting laterallyimages' reliected from all the other prismsin the other end of saidtube.

19. The combination with a submarine boat, of an observing-tube providedat its upper or outer end with a series of divergentlydirected prismsand a single prism directed correspondingly with one of the prisms ofsaid series but having a smaller visual angle, an inclined graduatedmirror or reliector within the boat beneath said prisms adapted toreceive an image of an external object reflected ICO IIO

from that prism of the series directed similarly to the narrow-angleprism, a prism adjacent per or outer end with a series ofdivergentlydirected prisms and a single prism directed correspondinglywith one of the prisms of said series but having a smaller visual angle,an inclined graduated mirror or reflector' in the inner or lower endportion of said tube adapted to receive an image of an external objectreflected from that prism of the series directed similarly to thenarrow-angle prism, a prism adjacent to said `graduated mirror orreflector for receiving and reflecting laterally images reflected fromall the other prisms at the other end of said tube, and telescopiceyepieces applied to said tube and directed, respectively, toward saidgraduated mirror and the adjacent prism.

2l. The combination with a submarine boat, of au observing-tube havingin its upper or outer end two similarly-directed mirrors or reflectorsof different visual angles adapted to receive images of external objectsand to reflect the same downwardly or inwardly through said tube, agraduated specnlum within the boat beneath the said mirrors or.reflectors in the upper or outer end of said tube, and a lower mirror orreflector adjacent said graduated speculnm and adapted to receive andreflect laterally the image reflected from one of said Lipper mirrors orreliectors while the image from the other of said upper mirrors orreflectors is received bysaid speculum.

22. The combination with. a submarine boat provided with asteering-wheel, of a revoluble observing-tube rising above the same andprovided with an inclined mirror or reflector for receiving an image ofan external Object and reflecting it downwardly or inwardly through saidtube, a revoluble holder carrying a filament or other directionindicator disposed near said steering-Wheel, and a connection betweensaid observing-tube and said revoluble holder wherebythe rotary movementof said tube communicates a corresponding movement to said revolubleholder.

23. The combination with a submarine boat, of a revoluble observing-tubeprovided with an inclined mirror or reflector for receiving andreflecting downwardly or inwardly through said tube an image of' anexternal object, a compass, a revoluble holder carrying a filament orother direction indicator disposed near said compass, and a connectionbetween said observing-tube and said revoluble holder whereby the rotarymovement of said tube communicates a corresponding movement to saidrevoluble holder.

24;. The combination with a submarine boat, of a revolnbleobserving-tube provided with an inclined mirror or reflector forreceiving and reflecting downwardly or inwardly through said tube animage of an external object, and means for indicating the coincidence ofthe center of the field of vision of said mirror or reflector with thedirection of the fore-and-aft line of said boat. y

25. The combination with a submarine boat, of a revoluble observing-tubeprovided with an inclined mirror or reflector for receiving andreflecting downwardly or inwardly through said tube an image ot anexternal object, a compass, a revoluble holding-ring mounted upon thecompass-case and carrying a lament crossing the field of the compass,and a connection between said observ` ing-tube and filament-holding ringfor ellecting a rotary movement of' said members in unison.

26. The combination with a submarine boat, of a revoluble observing-tubeprovided with an inclined mirror or reflector for receiving andreflecting downwardly or inwardly through said tube an image of anexternal object, a vertical filament stretched across the center of thelield of Vision of said mirror or reflector, and means for indicatingthe coincidence ofthe axial relation of said Afilament to said tube withthe fore-and-aft line of said boat.

27. The combination with a submarine boat, of a revoluble observing-tubeprovided in its upper end with an inclined mirror or reflector forreceiving and reflecting downwardly or inwardly through said tube animage of an external object, a compass, a revoluble holding-ring mountedupon the inclosing case of said compass and carrying a filamentdiametrically crossing the field of' the compass, a connection betweensaid observing-tube and filament-holding ring whereby they effect arotary movement in unison, an electrical indicator, an electricalcircuit comprising a contact device having normally insulated contactmembers one of which is carried by the connection between theholdingring and the observing-tube and the other of which is stationaryand adapted to engage the first said member only ata single point in therevolution of said connected parts.

2S. The combination with a submarine boat, of a revoluble observing-tubeprovided in its outer end with an inclined mirror or reflector forreceiving and reflecting downwardly or inwardly through said tubeanimage of an external object, a compass, a revoluble holding-ringmounted upon the inclosing case of said com pass, a metallic chain andsprocket-wheels connecting said holding-ring and observing-tube, anelectric bell, and au electrical circuit comprising a contact device ofwhich one of the insulated members is station ary and adapted forengagement with the movable member which is carried by said` chain,whereby the circuit is closed to cause said bell to ring when theinitial line of the compass coincides in direction with that of the saidfilament.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscrbin g witnesses.

SIMON LAKE.

"Witnesses:

lI. A. KORNMIANN, il. J. MILLER.

IZO

